Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Pancetta and Balsamic Caramelized Onions

Butternut squash is a food that can be surprisingly versatile. So far I have enjoyed it in a variety of recipes but this pizza is by far one of the best. The squash is coated in olive oil, sage and rosemary and baked until soft. The onions sauteed in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar provide a nice balance of sweet and tart. Those flavors work really well with the squash and smoky pancetta.  As for the cheese, I used Mozzarella but I would guess that Fontina cheese would be fine too.  I also scooped some of the seeds out of the squash to roast in the oven which I used as a final topping. They taste just like pumpkin seeds and it was a really nice last minute addition on the pizza.  I wouldn’t use a lot of salt on this recipe as the pancetta is naturally on the salty side and roasting the seeds with salt provides enough flavor for the rest of the pizza.  The result was a great pizza with flavors that complimented each other really well.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Pancetta and Balsamic Caramelized Onions
(Makes 1 pizza)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 1 batch pizza dough
• 1/2 large butternut squash (3 cups) diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sage, minced
• 1 tbsp rosemary, minced
• 1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 5 oz. pancetta, diced
• Butternut squash seeds, roasted and salted
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
• parsley, chopped for garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Toss the butternut squash with 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and sage.
2. Bake in a 400F oven for 30 minutes, or until soft.
3. Shape the pizza dough on a flat pan and coat with olive oil.
4. Bake until the dough is browned and slightly crispy, about 10 minutes.
5. Wash and place the butternut squash seeds in a shallow pan and toss with a little salt.  Bake in a 400F oven for about 7 minutes until the seeds are dry and crispy.
6. In a saute pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add the onions, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar. Cook on medium high for 7-10 minutes until soft.
7. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute for several minutes until the pancetta has cooked and the garlic smells fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
8. On the pizza crust, add the roasted squash, pancetta and onion mixture, grated mozzarella, and the squash seeds on top.
9. Bake in a 400F oven until the cheese has melted and browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Top with parsley and let rest for several minutes before slicing.